TL;DR
The Noida Dowry Death Case is a stark reminder of the violent reality of dowry-related abuse. While such horrific incidents continue to occur, data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reveals a consistent decline in dowry death cases across India from 2014 to 2022. The total number of reported cases over this period was 65,626, a trend that suggests legal and social efforts are having some impact, even as the issue remains a significant challenge, particularly in states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Context
The brutal murder of 26-year-old Nikki Bhati in Uttar Pradesh, allegedly at the hands of her husband, Vipin Bhati, serves as a grim example of a statistic becoming a tragedy. This crime is defined as the unnatural death of a woman within seven years of her marriage, where it is proven she was subjected to cruelty by her husband or his relatives for dowry. The data, compiled by the NCRB, provides critical insight into the prevalence and geographical distribution of these crimes.
Who Compiles This Data?
This data is compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the Indian government agency responsible for collecting and analysing crime data. It is part of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The information is sourced from the bureau’s annual “Crime in India” report, with data collected from State and District Crime Records Bureaus at the end of each year. Due to this reporting process, the figures may not reflect the full scale of the issue, as not all deaths may be recorded or reported to the police.
Where can I download Clean & Structured Data about the Dowry Death Cases in India?
Clean, structured, and ready-to-use datasets related to Year, State and City-wise Number of Crimes Against Women can be downloaded from Dataful.
Key Insights
Annual Trend of Dowry Death Incidence
The data from 2014 to 2022 shows an encouraging trend of a continuous decline in dowry death cases. The peak was in 2014; the incidence was 8,455 with a crime rate of 1.4. This number consistently fell, reaching 7,166 in 2018 and 6,450 with a crime rate of 1.0 in 2022. This suggests that ongoing efforts to combat this crime, including stricter laws and increased social awareness, are having a tangible impact.
High-Crime Rate Cities
While the national trend is encouraging, the data highlights that certain urban centres continue to struggle with a high incidence of this crime. It is important to note that the dowry death rates for states and metropolitan cities are not directly comparable because they are calculated using different population data. Specifically, the rates for states are based on the Mid-Year Projected Population, while those for metropolitan cities have been calculated using the Actual Population Census 2011. With that in mind, the highest crime rates are concentrated in cities such as Patna (3.79), Kanpur (2.97), and Lucknow (2.77). Other cities with a notable dowry death rate include Jaipur (1.99), Ghaziabad (1.79), and Delhi City (1.63). This geographical distribution shows that targeted interventions and campaigns are still critical in specific areas to combat this crime effectively.
Victims vs. Incidence
There is a consistent trend where the number of victims is slightly higher than the number of reported incidents. This is a crucial distinction, as it indicates that some dowry-related crimes involve more than one victim. For example, in 2014, there were 8,455 incidents but 8,501 victims. Similarly, in 2022, the 6,450 incidents resulted in 6,516 victims.
Why Does It Matter?
The data on dowry deaths serves as a powerful metric for understanding a complex societal issue. It enables policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and non-profit organisations to initiate targeted interventions by identifying high-risk geographical areas and measuring progress by tracking the effectiveness of legislative and social campaigns over time. Ultimately, this information is an essential tool in the ongoing fight to create a society where women are not subjected to violence for material gain, transforming cold numbers into a catalyst for change.
Key Numbers (from 2014 to 2022)
- Number of Dowry Death Cases (in absolute number):
2014: 8455 → 2018: 7166 → 2022: 6450
- Number of Dowry Death Victims (in absolute number):
2014: 8501 → 2018: 7277 → 2022: 6516
- Crime Rate of Dowry Deaths (per lakh population):
2014: 1.4 → 2018: 1.1 → 2022: 1.0
- Top 7 Cities with the Highest Crime Rate of Dowry Deaths (per lakh population):
Patna (3.79), Kanpur (2.97), Lucknow (2.77), Jaipur (1.99), Ghaziabad (1.79), Delhi City (1.63), and Indore (1.37)
